Contents of December 2003 American Libraries
News Fronts
8 ALA
- RUSA Criticized for Pulling Website Content
- PLA Seeks Best Practices Data
14 Washington
- Billington Issues Narrow DMCA Exemptions
- IMLS Awards First Librarian-Recruitment Grants
- Supreme Court to Hear COPA Appeal
15 USA and International
- California Libraries Offer Fire-Recovery Assistance
- School Libraries Feel State Funding Losses
- NYU Shaken by Suicides at Bobst Library
- Two State Bills Affect Minors’ Reading Privacy
- Global Reach
Special News Reports
30 Reprieve for the State Library of Florida
BY GLORIA COLVIN and LAWRENCE WEBSTER
A case study in grassroots advocacy.
34 Proof That “Information Matters” in Kansas City
BY AMY JORDAN
A wrapup of AASL’s National Conference.
36 The Year in Review
The Top 10 Library Stories of 2003.
Features
48 Cover Story:
Bill Gates: Why He Did It
An exclusive American Libraries interview with Microsoft’s CEO
about the computerization of America’s libraries.
Plus: When Stars Fell on Alabama, BY LEONARD KNIFFEL
58 What Ails Access to Government Health Information?
BY JENNIFER BUREK PIERCE
Is it science or supposition that is infusing the federal approach to
medical advice?
64 Serving Seniors: Dos and Don’ts at the Desk
BY CELIA HALES MABRY
Older adults—the most diverse group of patrons that librarians
may face—present specific challenges.
66 One Librarian’s Fight Against AIDS
BY JANE KINNEY MEYERS
An American librarian works to raise awareness of an epidemic
that is plaguing Africa.
69 Conference Call: Should Libraries Play Tag with RFID?
Jackie Griffin and Karen Schneider discuss the benefits
and problems of using this hot new technology.
ALA Features
72 The Frankenstein Allure
BY SUSAN BRANDEHOFF
Libraries join medical institutions to brew partneships
through a monstrous ALA traveling exhibition.
76 Association, Know Thyself
BY MARY JO LYNCH
ALA embarks on a mission to document its demographics.
Departments
5 ALA President’s Message
“Something for Everyone @ Your Library”
BY CARLA D. HAYDEN
41 Thus Said
42 Reader Forum
44 Editorial
“As Library School Struggle, Change Happens Anyway”
BY LEONARD KNIFFEL
46 On My Mind
“CD-ROMs: Ready for a Comeback”
BY PAUL VAN LINDEN TOL
80 Currents
83 The Crawford Files
“The Philosophy of Joint-Use Libraries”
BY WALT CRAWFORD
84 Internet Librarian
“The Right Tool for the Right Job”
BY JOSEPH JANES
86 Technically Speaking
“RFID Poses No Problem for Patron Privacy”
BY DAVID DORMAN
88 Working Knowledge
“Putting Networks to Work”
BY ELISA F. TOPPER
90 Librarian’s Library
BY CATHLEEN BOURDON
92 Quick Bibs
“Finding First Novels”
BY BILL OTT
97 Career Leads
111 Index to Advertisers
112 Will’s World
“Retirement on the Job”
BY WILL MANLEY
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